Unplanned homebirths

I have birthed both my previous babies in a hospital with a private Ob, and have had fantastic experiences both times. Actually, my Ob missed my DD's birth by about 10 minutes because I progressed so quickly and birthed her myself (even the midwives stayed hands-off :) ).

With my son, my waters broke at home before any contractions. With my daughter my waters broke at hospital when I was 3cm dilated, and less than half an hour later I pulled my little girl into my arms. I'm a little nervous this time around that both my birth experiences might mesh and my waters might break at home like with DS, and then I progress as quickly to delivery as I did with DD. And if that is the case there is no way I will make it to the hospital.

While we are "planning" on a hospital birth, I want to be "prepared" in case of a home birth. The main thing I am wondering is about my obligations when it comes to paramedics. I assume that if I'm at home and bub is coming, then we would call an ambulance (DH would definitely want to). But if all is going well when they get here I wouldn't want them interfering. My births have been quite calm and relaxed, and I want that for this birth too. I understand though that for a paramedic their care of duty may sort of require them to try to "help" even if I'm sure I'm doing fine.

Then after the baby is born do I have to go to the hospital in the ambulance? I believe that the first couple of hours after birth is crucial for bonding and establishing breastfeeding, and if all is well with myself and bub, then I wouldn't want to lose that precious time with an ambulance ride. I asked my Ob about it and he said that the baby would be with me the entire time, but I still don't feel comfortable with the idea. DH is pretty adamant that he would want us both to go to the hospital to be checked over, but can't we just drive in later ourselves?

I guess I'm just worried that an accidental homebirth might actually end up being more chaotic and less calm than my hospital births.

Yep you can just drive in later by yourselves.

You may get at least one ambo insisting you get into the car, and you just need to hold your ground and say you're not going anywhere until the baby is born. A GF of mine had a male and female turn up, with the female ambo saying to leave her and the male, who was the senior ambo say he wanted to take her. My GF is a very compliant girl and didn't think to say she was going to stay put, her DH also believing that doctors and ambos know best. When I told them that there was no reason to get into the van to give birth they realised that the ambos didn't know best...because one said to stay and one said to go!
Really, they're best off leaving you to birth at home, then transferring you if you need it (and they'll take you even if you don't need it, because that's what the hospitals prefer to have happen, and just for routine, not because all non-hospital births are so different from planned homebirths that there MUST be problems ;) ).
If you have gone far enough to get to transition at home with no problems, then the rest will happen by itself at home, too. Women who labour quickly and whose babies crown quickly tend not to have situations of "life and death within minutes", and may just need some further monitoring for PPH. Such an uncomplicated (although very quick and suprising) labour suggests your body is working efficiently :)
If you DO find yourself in this situation where you're labouring quickly and get to crowning very quickly, work on your breathing to slow you down - deep and slow. There is no need to even 'push' if you're having a quick labour, because your uterus will be doing all that work for you, pulling up the cervix and helping you open out - you could birth your baby whilst unconscious! One way to minimise risk of tearing and PPH is to reach your hand down to your vagina to feel the baby coming, and to guide its head out, almost holding it in. The less tugging at the placenta, the better, and a slowed down entrance will decrease chances of too much blood.
I'm no expert, though. Talk to a couple of ambulance stations (NaeNae did this!). Doctors in hospitals will have a very different view from mine, but then I don't have any money to make from you turning at hospital at some stage of birth, and I don't have a way to invoice Medicare for advice ;)
Lolli from here (and you can find her birth story on Random Ramblings of a Stay At Home Mum) had an accidental homebirth and rocked it! I'm sure you could do the same, if you needed or wanted to xx

I talked about this a bit with my Ob, and she said ambos (generally) would rather you had the baby at home or in hospital but not in transit. So if the ambos arrive and you really think it is close (or you tell them you are ;)) you may have a good argument for staying put for the time being.

Another thing to consider was my first baby was born very quickly and she got a bit stressed by it and needed some oxygen and other help as soon as she was born. Obviously if you plan a home birth you have an attendant to look after this, but if it is unplanned or on the side of the road that help and oxygen is not available, so having ambos near by might not be all that bad.

Good luck! I've always said if I do end up having a third baby I will be the women on the news who has her baby on the side of the road, so I understand your fears!

When you think you are not going to make it to the hospital give the ambo's a ring. They are really helpful over the phone and their voice is really reassuring.
DD1 has had two ambulance trips, the first after he was born and the second a very fast trip with lights and siren due to problems that could have happened. Thankfully she made it there in time.
The last one a few months ago was very professional. They were in and out in about 15 minutes but it was all very calm and they never let anyone feel like they were taking over and not considering other peoples feelings.
Another factor they will think about is how far you are away from the hospital you are booked into.

Definitely recommend ambo cover - whichever place you end up popping! Just consider how the birth is going before getting into the van. My GF who I was talking about ended up crowning at the hospital door, and only just made in inside the premises to give birth - not a nice way to transition :(

I had this happen myself.

DD3 came unplanned at home. Well, not entirely unplanned; the planning happened about 1/2hr before she arrived as I flat out refused to go to the hospital.

My biggest fear was the placenta getting stuck or excessive bleeding. Once Lucy was out, DH called the ambulance to come. I kinda wish we didn't call because it really was pointless. The placenta came out perfectly intact and there was no heavy bleeding. I really could have popped bub in her carseat whilst I sat next to her holding the bowl that had the placenta in it while DH drove us to the hospital to get looked over.
The paramedics had nothing to do but clamp the cord and give DH some scissors to cut it. They then wrapped Lucy whilst I had a shower. They where here for a while as I was in no rush to get her off me.

The only other thing I wish we were more prepared for was taking photos. I don't know how we could have done it as DH caught Lucy, but it would have been awesome to have some 'being born' pics like we have for the others.

Hun you can say that you do not want to go in ambulance but the bonus of them transferring you to hospital is that she/he can lie on your chest the whole way there where as in a car she can not. You would also want to check that they take you to Freemasons and not Sunshine as its closest in which case of course you say no definatly.!

Rememeber you can always call me as well I can get to you in about 20 mins or so.

Thank you all for some wonderful information. It's nice to know that if things don't go to "plan" then I still have options open to me and won't be forced into anything that isn't necessary.

The good thing is that I'm not scared at all to deliver at home. DD's birth showed me that I'm able to deliver a baby solo :)

:

---

If you DO find yourself in this situation where you're labouring quickly and get to crowning very quickly, work on your breathing to slow you down - deep and slow. There is no need to even 'push' if you're having a quick labour, because your uterus will be doing all that work for you, pulling up the cervix and helping you open out - you could birth your baby whilst unconscious! One way to minimise risk of tearing and PPH is to reach your hand down to your vagina to feel the baby coming, and to guide its head out, almost holding it in.

---

This was how DD's birth was. I went from 3 to 10 cm in less than half an hour, and only pushed for 7 minutes. I was on my knees on the bed and when the midwife went to help guide the baby she found my hand was already there and backed off and told me I could do it myself. I actually nearly laughed during the pushing stage because I could hear the midwife saying "great push, now another little one just like that one" and I knew that I hadn't even been actively pushing and that it was my uterus contractions doing all the work, lol. I don't even remember feeling any pain once I was pushing. Once her head was out I felt her turn in my tummy, then I reached under her arms and pulled her onto my tummy. It was magical. Seven minutes later I delivered the placenta and a couple of minutes after that my Ob arrived. I told him he "you missed the party, but you're welcome to stay for the after-party", haha. He never even had to put gloves on because I had no tearing or grazing. I didn't with DS either even though they are not small babies (DS was 8lb10oz and DD was 8lb3oz).

I'm really looking forward to this next birth, but I'm a bit of a control-freak and like to know the "what-if's" and have this planned as much as possible ;)

Feeb, that's a gorgoeus offer honey! I'll certainly remember to keep your number in my phone! Lol, well it's not as if I was planning on deleting it anyway :D
Oh and yes, I will definitely be declining a trip to Sunshine hospital if that's where the ambo's would like to take me. I doubt they would want to take a little side trip all the way to Freemason's in the city, lol.

I guess when ambo's are called out to births they generally get there to find a bit of panic and chaos, so I could certainly understand if their first instinct is to try to come in and sort of take over. I just hope that if it comes to this situation, the ambo's that arrive are able to see that things are calm and going well, because of course I'm assuming they will be ;)